About Reviews of Performances

Performance reviews are critical articles or essays in which reviewers evaluate performances of a play or dance. Unlike other kinds of critical studies of drama or dance, the performance reviews usually appear within weeks of the performance and often appear in newspapers or magazines where the performance took place. Some things to keep in mind when looking for reviews of performances:

When did the performance take place?

Where did the performance take place?

Who was the director, choreographer or principal actor/actress/dancer?

What kind of production or performance is this? Locally hosted? National? International? Traveling production?

General Sources

The following indexes and full-text databases are important for finding reviews of performances for both theater and dance.

LexisNexis Academic ReviewsFull-text newspapers and some magazines from across the U.S. and some foreign countries. Covers book, movie, music, play, and video reviews